Did a Guest Star ever refuse to go on TMS

[Kaiser Gonzo]

Does any one know if a celeb who was invited to star in the muppet show ever refuse the offer?

 

[SwedishChefCook]

I remember Gene Kelly refused to appear on the show. The muppets had to trick him into coming out on stage. It was ironically the very last episode of the Muppet Show ever made, but one of the few that I actually still have on tape from TNT, and also one of my very favorites.

 

[minor muppetz]

I remember Gene Kelly refused to appear on the show. The muppets had to trick him into coming out on stage. It was ironically the very last episode of the Muppet Show ever made, but one of the few that I actually still have on tape from TNT, and also one of my very favorites.

That was only in the context of the episode, not his real feelings.

To answer the first question, many guest stars refused to appear on the show during the first season, and most of the first season guests were personal friends of people who worked on the show. There was a thread that says that Harvey Korman really didn't want to be on the show, and only did it when he got an offer to act in a movie that was to be filmed in Europe (and that film ended up not being made).

It wasn't untill Rudolph Nureya was a guets star that guests were offering to appear on the show. After that, so many celebrities were wanting to be on the show that a waiting list for guest stars was made. There were still some guests who were scheduled who ended up cancling their appearances, though.

 

[Vic Romano]

Don't quote me on this because I may be totally wrong, but I remember reading there being a good bit of interest to have the Beatles on, but not all of them wanted to be on, like it was a split decision, but due to scheduling conflicts, it ultimately fell through anyway.

 

[minor muppetz]

Don't quote me on this because I may be totally wrong, but I remember reading there being a good bit of interest to have the Beatles on, but not all of them wanted to be on, like it was a split decision, but due to scheduling conflicts, it ultimately fell through anyway.

I think that was mentioned in the Muppet Central interview with Jerry Juhl. I can't remember if it was mentioned that any of them didn't want to be on there, but I think there were both budjet problems of having four guests and also because Paul McCarthy had a contract with Wings at the time and I believe that either Wings had to be with him or he couldn't be with the beatles.

 

[Punch'n'Judy]

And of course there's the Chirs Langham episode where he was drafted in at the last minute as a replacement for Richard Pryor

 

[MartyMuppets]

And of course there's the Chirs Langham episode where he was drafted in at the last minute as a replacement for Richard Pryor

Ah yes and in the context of the episode Mr.Langham was a replacement for Bernie Brillstein the Yiddish Yodeller if I remember rightly from when I had that episode on tape. Bernie said they couldn't make him appear on the show in a note delivered by Chris the messenger boy

 

[SwedishChefCook]

I remember at the beggining of a Season 4 episode they had these Muppet Beatles, who sang a few songs that the Beatles sang. I'm wondering if they were there as a way to somewhat replace the real Beatles who were supposed to be on the show?

 

[MelissaY1]

I think that was mentioned in the Muppet Central interview with Jerry Juhl. I can't remember if it was mentioned that any of them didn't want to be on there, but I think there were both budjet problems of having four guests and also because Paul McCarthy had a contract with Wings at the time and I believe that either Wings had to be with him or he couldn't be with the beatles.

I have no doubt in my mind John Lennon would've done it. He expressed in more than one interview over the years that he loved The Muppet Show, and when was a stay at home dad when Sean was born, he watched Sesame Street and loved it. In fact in two of his songs he makes Sesame references: in his song "Hold On" during one of the guitar solos he impersonates Cookie Monster and just bellows "COOKIES" very close into the microphone and in his song Steppin' Out from the album "Milk and Honey" (my favorite Lennon album) the beginning spoken intro includes the line "sitting at home screwing round watching Sesame Street until he goes CRAZY".
Yes, I'm a huge Beatles/Muppet fan

 

[KCJ506]

Does anyone know why Richard Pryor was replaced? Was it scheduling conflicts?